NHS Pensions
The McCloud Remedy Explained: What NHS Doctors Need to Know in 2026
The McCloud remedy corrects age discrimination that arose when the NHS moved most members to the 2015 scheme but let older members stay in the 1995/2008 scheme. If you had NHS service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 (the "remedy period") and were a member before 2012, you are probably affected — and you will be given a choice over which scheme's benefits apply for those years. In 2026 the rollout is still in progress: service was rolled back into the legacy scheme in October 2023, and Remediable Pension Savings Statements are still being issued. Here's what it means for you.
What the remedy is, and who it affects
From 1 October 2023, the pensionable service that affected members built up during the remedy period was placed back into their legacy scheme — for most NHS staff, the 1995/2008 Scheme. You are then offered a choice, for the remedy period only, between 1995/2008 benefits and 2015 benefits. Which is better depends on your circumstances: factors like your normal pension age, how your pay grew, and when you plan to retire all change the answer.
The choice — and when you make it
For members who have not yet retired, the choice is generally made at the point of retirement, when the actual figures for both options are known — which avoids guessing years in advance. Members who have already retired are being handled separately and contacted by the NHSBSA. There can also be a tax dimension for the remedy years, which is where Remediable Pension Savings Statements come in.
What to do now in 2026
You do not need to do anything hasty. Sensible steps: confirm whether you have remedy-period service, keep your contact and address details up to date with the NHSBSA so you receive your statements, and gather your pay history. When your figures arrive — and certainly before you make the choice at retirement — it is worth taking specialist advice, because the decision is permanent and the "right" option genuinely varies from person to person. This article does not recommend which option to choose.
This article is general information for medical professionals and is not personal financial advice. Figures relate to the 2026/27 UK tax year and may change. Professional Medical Financial is an introducer that matches you with FCA-regulated advisers; any regulated advice is provided by those firms. The value of investments can fall as well as rise. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up mortgage repayments. NHS and other defined-benefit pensions provide valuable guaranteed benefits and transferring out is unlikely to be suitable for most people.
Frequently asked questions
You are likely affected if you were a member of the NHS Pension Scheme on or before 31 March 2012 and had pensionable service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022. Service in that 'remedy period' was rolled back into the 1995/2008 scheme from 1 October 2023.
For most members the choice between 1995/2008 and 2015 benefits for the remedy period is made at retirement, when the figures are clearest. Members already retired are being contacted separately.
Recalculating benefits for hundreds of thousands of members is complex, and the delivery timetable has been revised. Many members are still awaiting Remediable Pension Savings Statements, which are needed to assess any tax position for the remedy years.